LIBRARY OF CONGRESS 



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llistoricid Mtiiiior'ud of the CharloUc C'dutfrtj. 



81 



Liberty Mills, Va. , December 22. 
Jack's Shop, Va., December 23. 
Gordonsville, Va., December 24. 

186^. ( 77/6' Re^imcfit was fur long hed for tico Dionlhs and transferred 
to Bcalc s nris;adi\ Jiast Viri^inia, W. If. J\ I.ee s Divisioti.) 

Quaker Road, Va., March 29. 

White Oak Road, Va., March 31. Isaac Friend wounded 
second time. 

Five Forks, Va., April i. Henry P. Dickerson, Albert Moses 
and George W. Read wounded. 

Avery's Church Road, Va., April 4. Hunter H. Marshall, Jr., 
killed. 

Amelia Springs, Va., April 5. 

Jetersville, Va., April 6. 

Deatonsville, Va., April 6. 

High Bridge, Va,, April 6. 

Farmville, Va., April 7. Dallas Kent wounded. 

Appomattox C. H., \'a., April 9. M. C. Morris wounded. 
Henry Dice killed. 

E. E. BOULDIN, formerly Captain Charlotte Cavalry, 
Company 8, 14th Virginia Cavalry, C. S. A. 

D.wviLLE, V.\., June 21, 1906. 






Southern Historical Socict)/ Papers. 



From the jV^tcs Leader, September 3, 1906. 

NEW LIGHT ON THE GREAT DREWRY'S BLUFF 

FIGHT. 



Judge William Izard Clopton's Description of the Naval 

Engagement — a Valuable Addition to Civil War 

History — Facts Heretofore Unpublished. 



The following report of the great naval battle of Drevvry's 
Bluff was prepared and delivered to a large audience at Ches- 
terfield Courthouse, Tuesday afternoon, September 4, 1906, by 
Judge William I. Clopton. In speaking of this address, Judge 
Clopton said : 

''There is no effort at elocutionary pyrotechnics, nor any 
flowery eloquence. It is simply an historical report of what actu- 
ally happened in an event which was fraught with so much 
moment to Richmond in the stirring times of the Civil War. 
The naval engagement here related is the one which prevented 
the men of war of tlie enemy from coming up to Richmond and 
bombarding the city in 1862." 

In treating the facts concerning- the naval battle which oc- 
curred at Drewry's Bluff, May 15. 1862, I am aware that much 
controversy has arisen as to the true state of facts. 

The usual source of information is the official reports, but 
as these are strangely oblivious of the part taken in this very 
important battle by the Chesterfield company, commanded by 
Captain Augustus H. Drewry, I shall confine my account to the 
descriptions given to me by Captain (afterwards major) Drewry, 
and Sergeant Samuel A. INIann, which latter account is vouched 
for as true, by Dr. Thomas J. Cheatham, who certified that he 
was present during the whole action and that Sergeant Mann's 
account is correct in all respects. 

I can perform this service in no better way than by simply 
reading Sergeant Mann's plain and simple, but very eloquent 
account of the battle, and by reading Major Drewry's account of 



CO 



'^Of 



1^ Nciv Light o?? the Great Dmcru's Bluff Fight. 83 






the buildinc^ of the fort, and the part taken by his company in 
the battle: 

]\r.\jOR Dk!:\vky'.s Lf.tter. 

Judge W. I. Clopton: 

Dear Jndjj;e : — Referring- to the conversation which passed 
between ns at the office of our mutual friend, Judge George L. 
Christian, I have only to say that the present is the first moment 
which I have felt that I could give any attention to your request, 
and even now I am forced to do so under circumstances which 
will not allow me to do justice to the matter in question. Never- 
theless I submit the following: 

Early in 1862, when General [McDowell was preparing for 
an advance upon Richmond from the direction of Fredericks- 
burg, and General ]\IcClellan was moving up from the Penin- 
sula, the Governor of \'irginia was authorized by act of the 
Confederate Congress, then in session, to call for 2,000 men 
to man the batteries around Richmond. When Captain J. B. 
Jones and myself, in view of the advantages which would be 
enjoyed by the people of Chesterfield to enlist in^its service, 
raised a company, composed largely of men who were beyond 
the age of conscription, and tendered our services to the Gov- 
ernor. By whom we were accepted and assigned to duty at 
Battery No. 19, on the turnpike, between Drewry's Bluff and 
the city of Richmond. After being there a while, I came to the 
conclusion that our position was unimportant, and that we would 
likely be called to field duty, for which I did not think my men 
were well suited ; hence, I went over to see General Lee, and 
suggested to him the propriety of obstructing the river, and the 
establishment of a fort at some selected point, and let me take 
my command down there for service, for which they were well 
suited. To all of which he readily agreed, in view of the fact 
which was clearly foreshadowed that Norfolk would soon be 
evacuated, and the river open to a raid upon the Confederate cap- 
ital by the Federal gunboats. The following day, accompanied 
by Major Rives and Lieutenant Mason, of the engineers depart- 
ment, we went down the river to select a suitable position. 
Upon reaching Howlett's, which is at the head of the Horse 



84 Southern Historical Society Papers. 

Shoe, forming Dutch Gap, we coiickided that was the best 
place, both on account of its great elevation, and the more 
even depth of the river at that point, with an abundance of tim- 
ber on either bank for the obstructions ; soon, however, upon 
the examination of some charts of the river, which we had with 
us, it was seen that the Federals might cut through at the Gap, 
and pass on up the river, and we would have to go above for 
our fortifications. Then Drewry's Bluff was found to be the next 
best place. Thither I removed m}^ command the following day, 
and went to work with Lieutenant Mason, in helping to ob- 
struct the river and throw up the fort, furnishing him details from 
my company, who put in the cribbing, employing my team, labor 
and company to aid him, which was likewise done by other 
members in my command. So the work went on pretty much 
after the order of a private enterprise tmtil a short while before 
Norfolk was evacuated, when the remnant of our navy made 
their appearance in their flight before the Federal gunboats, ter- 
ribly demoralized, and surprised that we should think of resist- 
ing those heretofore victorious and invincible gunboats. With 
some persuasion they were induced to stop with us, and planted 
themselves on the river above our fort, with assurance that we 
could take proper care of them. The Confederate authorities 
and the City Council of Richmond had in the meantime become 
alive to the importance of our work, and gave us considerable 
help to its completion. It is true that Captain Farrand, who 
had been run out from Mobile, was sent down ; he messed with 
me and would occasionally sally out to look after his defunct 
navy, but his being there was more of an accident than otherwise, 
and he did not undertake to interfere with my command in the 
fort, which bore the brunt of the fight, and I am not aware 
that any man connected with the navy put his hand upon any 
gun in the fort during that engagement. After the fight. Cap- 
tain Farrand reported to Mr. Mallory for the navy, and I, upon 
the recommendation of General ]\Iahone, who witnessed the en- 
gagement, reported to Governor Letcher, who communicated 
with the Secretary of War, and upon their recommendation, I 
was promoted to major of artillery, and in the body of my com- 
mission, directed to remain in command of Fort Drewry, which 
I did until it was determined to make a naval post out of it, in 



New Lifild on the (irc<il Dirinys Blut}' Fif//i(. S.') 

command of Captain Lcc, and my command was revoked widi 

instruction to report to P.rigadier-Gencral John H. Walker, 

which I declined to do, as I belonged to the provisional army, 

and they had no right to call upon me elsewhere for duty. I 

have forgotten to mention that the gallant Captain Tucker, of 

the Patrick Ilcnry. did casemate one of his eight-inch guns on the 

river bank, just above the entrance to the fort, but as heavy rain 

had fallen the night before the gunboats reached the fort, its 

whole superstructure fell in, and we lost the benefit of his help, 

until the light was nearly over ; also that Lieutenant Catesby 

Jones did have a nine-inch Dahlgren in position around the 

curve in the river, but being out of range, he could not render 

us anv help. 

(Signed) A. H. Drewry. 



SERGKAXT :^^.\XX S ACCOUNT. 

The compan\- afterwards known as the "Southside Heavy 
Artillery of Mrginia A'oluntcers," was enlisted early in Jaiuiary, 
1862. and towards the latter part of the month, assembled at 
Chesterfield Courthouse, where we proceeded to elect our com- 
missioned officers, with the following results : 

For Captain — Augustus H. Drewry. 

For First Lieutenant — James B. Jones. 

For Second Lieutenant — Spencer D. Ivey, and 

For Third Lieutenant — Dickerson V. Wilsoft. 

All of the lieutenants had been officers in the Chesterfield 
militia, in which Lieutenant Wilson had held the rank of cap- 
tain. We then returned to our homes subject to a call to service 
in the Confederate States army, which had been at war with the 
United States army for about ten mondis, with varied success, 
previous to this time. 

\\'hen on the 5th day of February, 1862, those of us who 
lived on this side of the county took train for Richmond at the 
Pocahontas depot, in the city of Petersburg, and were put off 
opposite to, and went into camp with the rest of the company 
at Battery No. 19, on the turnpike, a little south of Manchester, 
the dav that the writer of this lacked eleven days of being twenty 



86 Southern Historical Society Pcq)ers. 

years old. Our quarters consisted of a ridge pole set up east 
and west, with plank set up on each side, at an angle of about 
forty-five /degrees, and covered so as to break joints, and formed 
a very good storm-proof roof, with no light or ventilation, but 
such as could come in at the end doors and cracks through the 
roof. The east end was partitioned off for officers' quarters. 
We found it erected, and bunks inside, filled with clean straw 
for beds. 

And the writer met the largest majority of the members 
of the company on this day for the first time. 

Thus we began our army life. 

Soon we were allowed to elect our non-commissioned offi- 
cers, when Colonel Robert Watkins, of the Chesterfield militia, 
was elected first orderly sergeant, and I was chosen third cor- 
poral. 

Shortly an officer who had lost an eye at First Manassas, 
came over from Richmond, and mustered us into service of the 
Confederate States of America, Colonel Joe. Selden. 

The ages of the men of the company ranged all the way be- 
tween seventeen to about forty-five or fifty years, and were, by 
occupation, mostly farmers, with a sprinkling of carpenters, cot- 
ton-mill hands, with some gentlemen. 

On the 28th of February, in the afternoon, we were marched 
over to the old armory in Richmond, and were furnished our 
first muskets of Virginia make, which had been altered from 
flint-lock to percussion. Then we were marched back to camp, 
late on a cold, blustering evening. 

About this time a man who was a Scotchman, McFarland, 
spare-built, and appeared to be about thirty-five years of age, who 
told us that he had been a soldier for sixteen years ; first in Eng- 
land, and lately in the United States army, was sent down to us 
as drill-master, and began to teach us our facing, and the manual 
of arms, according to Hardee (Lieutenant Wilson had taught 
some of us the year before according to Scott), and after we 
had made some progTCss, we acted as provost guard in Manches- 
ter for about ten days. Then we proceeded to erect good, two- 
room frame houses for quarters, and had occupied some of 
them, when, on the 17th day of March, with drums beating and 



New Lujht on the Gnat Drcwrij's Bluff Fif/hl. 87 

colors llyinir;-. accompanied with all our impcdinients, we were 
marched alonj;- the turnpike, down to Drewry's Bluff, on the 
"Xoble James river," about seven miles below Richmond, and 
bivouacked at the future "Gibraltar" that night, grumbling- about 
the hard fate that had overtaken us, at having been turned out 
of our nice new houses ami ft)reed to make our beds on the 
bare ground. 

Then Captain Drewr\- look us in hand, and with his accus- 
tomed energy, hurried us on towards erecting log-cabins for 
quarters, and preparing the battery for mounting guns, &c. — 
the fort had been laid out by Lieutenant ]\Jason, of the engi- 
neers — sometimes we were f(^rced to work on it day and 
night. After a busy time, the quarters were finished, 
and occupied, and emplacements to hold three heavy guns 
were prepared on the river face of the bluff. The two 
eight-inch Columbiads. which we were told had been constructed 
at the Bellona arsenal, in Chesterfield county, on the upper James 
river, above Richmond, w^ere sent down the river on lighters, 
drawn by tugs, to the wharf, erected at the mouth of the ravine, 
just east of the fort. Then the heavy work of landing them and 
hauling them up the steep incline-railway to the level of the 
fort, ninety feet above the water began, and after severe labor 
finished, and they were at their places in the battery, ready to 
be mounted. 

Then after skilled workmen had built substantial foundations 
and laid down level platforms, and laid out the traverse circles, 
we, under Colonel Robert Tansell, who wore the full regimentals 
as colonel of artillery, proceeded to mount them to their places by 
the aid of a "gin" and much heavy pulling on ropes by hand. 

After which our aforementioned Scotchman. Robert Stuart 
McFarland, (Major Drewry employed him), by name, began to 
teach us tlie manual of the heavy artillery tactics, showing us 
how to go to our places for action, take implements, sponge, 
load, in battery, point and fire, all of which motions we had to 
go through with "at double quick time." And from thence for- 
ward every da\-, and almost all day long, we wcve kept at severe 
drill at the heavy guns. 

About this time a man named ^^IclMellon (Major Drewry 



88 Southern Historical Society/ Papers. 

employed him), who had belonged to the Ordnance Department 
of the English army, came down to teach us what he knew about 
drill at the guns, and how to arrange the powder in the maga- 
zine, and the shells in their houses. He also taught us some 
hygiene exercises. 

They sent us down a ten-inch Columbiad from Richmond, 
which we mounted on the western emplacement, already pre- 
pared, took it in charge, and began to drill with it also. The 
company thus had all three guns under its charge, mounted and 
ready for action, and numbered from east to west, as follows: 
Gun No. I, eight-inch; Gun No. 2, eight-inch (64 pounder), 
and Gun No. 3, ten-inch (128 pounder). I was assigned to Gun 
No. 2, as gunner, and remained at the same post as long as the 
company remained at the fort. 

IMeanwhile some workmen were detailed from the company 
■ — Lieutenant Ivey among them — to work, obstructing the chan- 
nel of the river below the wharf, driving piles with steam pile- 
driver, building cribs and loading them with stone. The steam- 
ers Jamestown and Curtis Peck were sunk at the last moment 
to help make the blockade more secure. 

All of us were thus kept busy until about the first of May, 
when one day, while at work on the battery at the fort, we 
saw several steamers loaded to the guards with soldiers, closely 
following each other, being carried to reinforce the batteries 
down towards the mouth of the river. They seemed to be in 
high spirits, for they cheered us as they passed hastily by. But 
only after a few days we again saw them returning up the 
river, looking sad and apparently very dejected. 

Still we kept at work, when one day late in the afternoon we 
saw the foremost of our battery steamers slowly making their 
way up from Norfolk, which had been evacuated by the Confed- 
erate troops, leaving the navy-yard to fall into the hands 
of Federal forces, and we learned tlirough the newspapers that 
the Merrimac (Mrginia), had been blown up, thus leaving our 
river open to this place. 

On Tuesdav, May 13, 1862, about noon, while we were at 
work at the fort, one of our exchange steamers — under flag of 
truce — came up the river, passed up through the blockade, stopped 



New Li(//i( 0)1 the Great J)reirr>/'s Jll'ijJ' Fujhl. 89 

in front of tiic hatlcrv. '"hailed." and tf)Ul us to get ready, as 
five gunboats, including the ^Fonitor and Galena, were at Har- 
rison's bar, coming up the river to make an attack on this place. 

llicn all was hurry and some confusion, but wc kept on 
steadily, making preparation to defend the fort. I think we 
loaded all three guns this day. 

The crew of the ]\Ierrimac had. in the meantime, since their 
arrival from Norfolk, a few days before, been busily engaged 
mounting a gun on the river bluff, outside of a little to the west 
of the fort, covering it with heavy logs, so as to form a case- 
ment over it, and another, maxbe still higher up the river, this 
latter was out of range. 

We were told by some of our working party that some of 
their working party declared that to attempt to defend the place 
would only make it a slaughter pen, and they further told our 
men that the boats would run our company out of the battery in 
five minutes after the action began. 

\\'ednesday, May 14th, every one very busy making things 
re^dy at the battery, when near towards noon, probably, the 
boats having reached a point around the bend in the river to 
eastward, and out of sight from us in the fort (for the large 
ravine cast, southeast and south from it, was then covered with 
original forest growth), tired a shot, directed over the fort, 
although high overhead, but we were startled by its vicious rush 
through the air, and as it was the first hostile one many of us 
had ever heard, besides it was of gigantic size, compared to 
those generally used, and we heard it drop away back toward 
the turnpike. But they did not fire another that day, and we 
kept on at work until night, and were told before we retired 
to our quarters that a signal shot would be fired by the sentry 
on post at the battery, as a signal, that the hostile boats had ap- 
peared around the bend at Chaftin's Bluff, and to warn us to 
hurry to the fort, and to take our places at the guns. But none 
were fired that night, so most of us slept very well, but some of 
the m/en were kept at work all night. 

Thursday, May 15. 1862, was cloudy, after smart rain last 
night, and likely for more to-day; some light showers fell. We 



90 Southern Historical Society Papers. 

were up early, and about 6 o'clock A. M., while my mess were 
at breakfast, we heard the expected signal musket fired from the 
battery ; when each one taking a biscuit in his hand, hurried 
silently to the fort. When upon arriving there, we found the 
working party toting sand-bags f which had been filled on the 
outside), to inside, and placing them so as to form embrasures 
to the gun. And we were ordered to assist them, which we 
did to the last moment. Meanwhile we could see the five gun- 
boats in the reach below, and very slowly making their way to- 
wards us. firing some guns to right and left towards some pick- 
ets in the field on our side, and at some guns of the "Washington 
Artillery" — as we were told, stationed on Chafiin's Bluff, who 
speedily retired out of range. The boats then continued on, 
nearer and nearer (and we still toting up sand-bags from outside 
and next to them), until they got so near we made a rush for 
the gun, but Captain Farrand, the naval officer, ordered us not 
to fire until he gave the word. Then we waited with baited 
breath. 

Meanwhile we got to our stations at Gun, No. 2, in the fol- 
lowing order: Post No. i, Richard H. Pond; Post No. 2, John 
Hamilton ; Post No. 3, Richard E. Jordan, and Post No. 4, 
Watkins Coleman. Calvin T. Taylor brought the powder from 
the magazine to us, and Archibald W. Archer, with Stephen 
B. Ellis, handed up the shot. I took my place upon the turn- 
table, behind the breech, to act as gunner. 

This detachment was not relieved, but continued to serve 
during the whole time that the battle went on. 

Robert S. JMcFarland, our drill master, went to Gun No. i, 
to act as gunner, with enough men to make three detachments, 
with corporals to serve vent. I am not informed as to their 
names as a whole. 

Captain Farrand, the naval officer. Captain Drewry, with 
Lieutenant Wilson, took their stations at my gun (No. 2), Lieu- 
tenant Jones also stayed there some ; we were well looked after. 

Captain Jordan, of the Bedford Artillery, with his men, 
took charge of the ten-inch (Gun No. 3) ; I think they came to 
the fort the night before. 



Neio Liijhl on the Great Dreivn/'s BlnJ' Fi(/ht. 01 

Thus we stood, ready for the word to "commence firing" 
at the proper time. 

The boats, continuing to advance, finally took up the follow- 
ing positions: The three wooden ones — Aroostock, Port Royal 
and Naugatucket, lay to and stood about "bows on" at the 
mouth of Wilton creek, wliich enters on the north side of the 
river, about three-fourths of a mile from the fort, and hugged 
the bank pretty well. The Monitor and Galena — iron-clads — 
kept on till about six hundred yards from the fort, when the 
Galena stopped, turned "broadside," with her stern not far 
from the Chesterfield low water-mark, and threw out her an- 
chors. The Monitor took up her position nearly abreast of the 
the Galena, going over her flag-staff, and struck a lime-pile on 
river. And from where we stood she looked pretty much like 
a barge inverted tank, on a very low raft, and we did not need 
to be told her name, for we knew her at a glance. 

Some weeks before this day' after we could handle the guns 
pretty well, an army ofificer, who had been at Roanoke Island, 
came to the fort and to my gun (N'o. 2), and showed us how to 
fire two five-second shells from said gun, being the first and only 
I had ever heard fired and exploded up to that time. I acted as 
Post Xo. I. and he acted as gunner, and explained to me very 
carefully about pointing the gun for that range. 

As soon as the last boat took position Captain Farrand 
shouted: "As soon as you get a chance fire on them!" When 
Captain Drewry, seeing me about to point the gun, climbed up 
to me, and said : "Let me aim this gun," when I stood and looked 
over his shoulder, and thinking about what I had been told by 
the officer aforementioned about the range, said to him: "Cap- 
tain, you are aiming the gun too high." He replied : "Oh, no, 
you come with me," when we went to windward to avoid the 
smoke, had the gun fired, and saw the shot just miss the top of 
the Galena, going over her flag-stafif, -and struck a lime-pile on 
the right short, some distance beyond. Then he turned to me 
and said: "You go try your hand." This, I think, was the first 
shot fired during the engagement. Then I ran back to my post 
on the gun, served the vent — the detachment c(Mitinuing to load 
as coolly as if on parade. We ran the gun " in battery " and I 
pointed it, aiming at the Galena "aniid-ship," about half-way 



92 Southern Historical Society Papers. 

np her shield, ran to my post of observation. Then Lieutenant 
Wilson again gave the order to "fire" in his most stentorious 
tones. When the shot struck pretty much where it had been 
aimed, and glanced off, and the last I saw of it, it was vanish- 
ing in the distance, towards Chaffin's Bluff, but it left a visible 
scar on the boat. 

Gun No. I had also been "fired," presumably with good re- 
sults as its gunner was considered an expert, and was a brave 
man. 

Captain Jordan's ten-inch gun had been fired, shortly making 
a most deafening report, and the gun was disabled with the 
violence of its recoil, which came very near to dismounting it, 
as the carriage ran back with such force as to knock off the 
"rear-hurters" on the turn-table, thus preventing its being run 
"in battery." And it only resumed its fire near the end of the 
engagement. 

The naval gun, just west of the battery, was also disabled 
by having its casemate of heavy logs cave in on it. Thus leav- 
ing Captain Drewry's Company with the two eight-inch guns 
(64 pounders) to continue the fight alone, and both guns contin- 
ued to fire as fast as possible to the end of the battle. 

As soon as we opened fire every gunboat simultaneously 
commenced pouring their huge shells into us. All the boats 
using one hundred-pound (parrott) rifle shells, except the Moni- 
tor, which used her two eleven-inch (11) smooth-bore (Dahl- 
gren) gunshells, which weighed about one hundred and sixty 
(160) pounds. And I have thought that when the first broad- 
side of four shells from the Galena passed just over the crest 
of our parapets and exploded in our rear, scattering their frag- 
ments in every direction, together with the sounds of the shells 
from the others, which flew wide of the mark, mingled with 
the roar of our guns, was the most startling, terrifying and 
diabolical sound which I -had ever heard or ever expected to 
hear again. 

With "blanched," but earnest faces, we continued to pelt 
the flagship, Galena, trying to penetrate her armor, which we 
finally did at the water-line, when the shot could be seen com- 
ing out of and tearing up her deck, after glancing up, having 
been deflected bv something inside of her hull. 



New Lhjhl on (he Gnat Drcirri/'s Bli/Jf Flylit. 1)3 

Thus the unequalled struggle went on for four long hours, 
and it looked, sometimes, like they would finally overcome us. 
But many a secret prayer was offered up to Heaven from anx- 
ious, if not faithful hearts, to the Ruler of the Universe, and 
God was very good that day, for "He delivered our souls in 
peace from the battle that was against us"— for not a man of 
the company was seriously hurt. Although Lieutenant \\'ilson, 
who was a strong, heavy man, of about thirty years of age, had 
been dashed to the ground very violently by a shell, which came 
through the cordon of sand bags very near him, and I had re- 
ceived a heavy fall, as at one time, I was making a dash from 
my post where I could observe the effect of our shot, back to 
where I served the vent — stumbled over the rammer and fell 
heavily on Ihe hard platform. But neither of us was much 
hurt, and no one had been disabled, which seemed miraculous. 
And our company was thus enabled to contribute fullv towards 
repulsing the formidable and hitherto victorious fleet of Federal 
gunboats. 

Captain Jordan, together with our navy had seven men 
killed while trying to remount their guns. And I believe they 
were all struck down while our two guns w-ere silent toward the 
end of the action, w'hen we were ordered by Captain Farrand 
to "cease firing for half an hour," presumably to save our ammu- 
nition. But we had to commence firing again long before the 
time expired. For the commander of the Federal fleet, no doubt, 
thinking that all of our guns had been silenced, signaled to the 
three wooden boats, which immediately advanced and took up 
a new position, right behind the Monitor, Galena, and all five 
of them redoubled their fire on our batteries. And I have al- 
ways thought that it was at this time all the casualties on our 
side took place. As we heard the first outcry of the unfor- 
tunate wounded while we were lying down with all our guns 
silent. 

About this time a naval of^cer walked down and said to me, 
"we must commence to fire again, as the boats are now firing 
into our men." So without further waiting we all resumed our 
posts for action at the guns. When Captain Drewry, on seeing 
how the boats had been concentrated, commanded in a very confi- 
dent tone of voice : " Fire on those wooden boats and make them 



94 Southern Historical Society Papers. 

leave there," when both of our guns resumed fire, and put some 
shot through them broadside, when shortly, I think I saw a 
shell from the ten-inch gun — which had at last been remounted, 
burst on the deck of the Galena, and I am not sure, but that 
Captain Tucker's naval gun also began to lend its aid at the 
"eleventh" hour. 

Then after both sides had exchanged a few more rounds, 
I saw a peculiar flag (to me) slowly creeping up the small iron 
mast of the Galena, so I called to the men and cried: "Look 
out, they are going to try some other scheme." When at once, 
(about 11:05 o'clock), after the fight had been going on fully 
four long hours, the three wooden boats turned and began to 
steam rapidly down the river, followed more slowly by the Moni- 
tor and Galena. 

Captain Farrand immediately gave the command : "Cease fir- 
ing," but as my gun had just been sponged, preparatory to 
loading it. and my enthusiasm got the better of my discipline, for 
my spirits had now risen several degrees above despondency, I 
said to Lieutenant Wilson: "Let us give them a parting salute." 
He replied: "Don't care if you do." No other objection being 
raised about our thus disobeying orders, we loaded the gun as 
fast as we possibly could, and by the time we got it "in bat- 
tery" the wooden boats had gotten nearly a mile from us. 
So after pointing carefully and giving what was thought to be 
the proper elevation, when after most of the men, including 
Captain Farrand, had jumped to the top of the parapet to watch 
the shot on being fired, fell a little short, but ricochetting, struck 
the boat, which we took to be the Naugatucket, about half-way 
from deck and water, directly astern. Dick Pond, our No. i, 
afterwards declared that the hole made by the shot into the 
boat looked as large as a flour-barrel, and must have done some 
damage to her. 

Then we tossed our caps into the air, and shouted our cry 
of victory. 

After which Captain Drewry took us in hand, and said: 
"Don't a man leave for the quarters, for I want you to fix up 
these parapets that have been knocked down, and those sand- 
bags torn to pieces, must be replaced and get ready for them, 
for the boats will probably be back here again in two hours. 

But thev never returned again. 



New Light on the Great Drewry's Bluff Fi(/hf. 9'> 

President Jefferson Davis, with General Robert E. Lee, 
liaving- galloped down from Richmond, came to Gun No. 2, soon 
after the firing ceased. The General showed us how to replace 
the sand-bags, and both seemed well pleased with the results of 
the engagement. 

Thus the writer of this who had never been absent from 
duty since the company had been mustered in, must have made 
it clear to the reader that Captain Drewry, with his company, 
of most all Chesterfield men — he and most of them plain farm- 
ers — had by his indomitable pluck, skill and daring, almost un- 
aided, as has been shown — won a remarkable victory that day. 

As has been said, the guns not disabled had also been made 
in the county. And so : 

" The Monitor was astonished. 
And the Galena admonished, 
And their efforts to ascend the stream 
W'ere mocked at. 

" While the dreadful Naugatuck, 
With the hardest kind of luck, 
Was very nearly knocked 

Into a cocked-hat." 

And the behavior of the officers and men of the company 
on that occasion, under the circumstances, was extraordinary. 

Captain Drewry and Lieutenant Wilson, at my gun, were 
alert and aggressive, and seemed to be devoid of fear, and the 
men, judging from those that worked Gun No. 2 (and were not 
relieved during the four trying hours), could not have been ex- 
celled by veterans or regulars for coolness, cheerfulness, skill 
and courage of a high order. 

It was true that some of the sick ran home, and many of 
the unemployed were dreadfully demoralized. But that kind of 
timidity is usual among men in all commands, while receiving 
their baptism of fire and. unable to defend themselves. 

The disabling of Gun No. i (ten-inch), in charge of Cap- 
tain Jordan's company, has been alluded to, but I will state fur- 
ther that it was badly disabled at the time of the first fire, by 
a too severe recoil, and for some time we thought that it had been 
handled awkwardly, and the mishap had been caused by its 



96 Southern Historical Societi/ Papers, | 

having been fired ''in gear." But we afterward came to the con- 
clusion that it had in two charges of both powder and shot, as 
the report was very loud, indeed, as burnt grains of powder 
fell at our gun (the line of fire being very oblique). It re- 
mained disabled nearly the whole time. 

And Captain Tucker's naval gun, as before mentioned, was 
disabled by the rain causing its superstructure to give away 
so that its casemate of heavy logs caved in on it, which deprived 
us of their help also, until near the end of the fight. 

•No doubt the moral efifect caused by the presence of the 
crew of the Merrimac Avas great. But otherwise without any 
fault of theirs, they rendered very little help towards the re- 
pulse of the hostile fleet of gunboats. It was true that Cap- 
tain Farrand, with his professional skill, in giving very pertinent 
commands, rendered valuable aid. Yet they have always claimed 
the almost entire credit for the victory. And but for the fact 
that Captain Drewry was promoted to the rank of major of ar- 
tillery, and ordered to take command of the main fort at Drew- |' 
ry's Blufl:' by the Secretary of AA'ar, George W. Randolph, upon * 
the recommendation of General William ]\lahone, who had wit- 
nessed the fight, seconded by Governor John Letcher, who knew 
of all the circumstances of the defence, his company's claim 
to fame would have been entirely ignored by the officers and 
men of the Confederate navy, as well as by others higher in com- 
mand. But truth struck down will rise again. When history, as 
W'cU as posterity, will finally be compelled to give honor to whom 
honor is due. 

Perhaps, here, it would be well to state that our skill of 
gunnery and the effectiveness of our fire, were greatly aided by 
the fact that, unfortunately for us, the ^Monitor and Galena (the 
front sights of our guns being short), came within point-blank 
range, thus rendering themselves conspicuous targets easy to hit, 
so that we wasted very few shots. Our. height, ninety feet 
above the water, caused the line of fire of our guns to be about 
three degrees depression to reach them, while theirs on the 
contrary, had to be about the same degrees of elevation to reach 
us. 

It is now useless to discuss the "might have beens," but if 
our two guns had been ten-inch calibre instead of eight-inch, 



New Llijlil on. Ike i/rcal JJirirri/'s JUujf FhjIiI. '.i? 

thus niakin.c: the projectiles as heavy, the (lalena would have 
been rendered a total wreck. 

Captain Drewrv was pleased to compliment me for the part 
taken by me in the affair, and our expert, Akd-arland. held my 
skill as gunner in great repute after that time. 

As has been said, the lire of the fleet killed seven Confed- 
erates and battered the jjarapets of the fort badly, and also shot 
our lar^e flag- to pieces and cut down trees of all kinds and sizes, 
for they did not seem to otTer any resistance to their hug;c, blust- 
erinj;- projectiles, th;it were sometimes hurled against them in 
showers. 

■Now. as to the damage to the fleet. \\'e afterwards heard 
that the (lalena lost about forty men — wounded and killed — and 
that she was badly damaged by having her armor jarred loose, 
and her deck ripped up by our shot, after penetrating being- de- 
flected upward by chains, anchors. &c.. piled on that side for 
the purpose. And that eighteen were killed on board the Nauga- 
tuck by the ex])losion of one of her own guns, besides other dam- 
age rendered b^' us. 

S.\.Mi'EL A. INIaxk. 

I was present tluring the whole engagement and certify that 
the foregoing is a true statement. Of course, there are many 
things which I observed as a spectator, which Samuel A. INIann, 
being engaged, could not see. I will give a statement of mv ob- 
servations in full. 

Trio:\[A.s J. Crri:.\TiiA.M, M. D. 

Thus w'e find that one of the most wonderful achievements 
of the whole war was the result of the foresight, skill, lab<^r 
and courage of the men of Chesterfield commanders, naval or 
military, and of which the reading public knows nothing. 

The only efificient service in this battle was done by the 
Chesterfield company, commanded by Major .\. IT. Drewr\ . 
The two eight-inch gun.s. which did the lighting, were made at 
Belona arsenal, at his foundry in Chesterfield county, and the 
battery at Drewry's BhifT was constructed by Chesterfield men 
with their own resources, and was built upon land owned by 
Major Drewry. 

A glorious victory over the hitherto invincible navy of the 
United States was achieved and the fall of Richmt>nd was pre- 







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Soiilhern Historical Society Papers. 



vented, for if the Federal gunboats had succeeded in passing 
Drewry's Bluff on that day the capital of the Confederacy would 
have at once been at their mercy, and the Confederate troops 
would have been compelled to retreat from Richmond, and prob- 
ably from Virginia. This gallant band of Chesterfield men by 
their heroic conduct on this occasion, thus not only saved the capi- 
tal of the Confederacy from capture, but prolonged the war for 
three years, and enabled the "Army of Northern Virginia" to 
write its heroic achievements in blood and fire for three long 
years. The proud record of that magnificent army, which will 
be the boast of all future generations of Virginians, might never 
have been made. 

The men of Chesterfield who composed the Southside Heavy 
Artillery, commanded by Augustus H. Drevvry, who drove back 
the iron-clad fleet down the James river on that momentous day 
are justly entitled to the laurel wreath of victors, and should 
ever be cherished in the hearts of their countrymen. 



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